LONGUES SUR MER One of the blockhouses with one of the four 150mm guns of the M.K.B. Longues. (Photo : Archives Départementales du Calvados)

SAINTE MERE EGLISE Street scene in the village after its liberation by U.S. Troops. Looking East – June 1944. (Photo : U.S. Archives)

MARIGNY Inside the church after the fighting. (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / U.S Archives)

LA MADELEINE A group of GI’s leaving the chapel after a mass. (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / U.S Archives)

RAVENOVILLE Paratroopers of Hq & Hq Co / 508th PIR under the command of Captain Johnson and Abraham stop for a moment in the village before going south to find their unit. (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / U.S Archives)

CARENTAN A M-7 Priest of the 14th Armored Field Battalion / 2nd Armored Division at the crossroad of the street Holgate and the railroad Paris-Cherbourg. (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / U.S Archives)

CARENTAN American paratroopers in a german Kübelwagen at the crossroads of the street Holgate and RN 13 (actually street of the 101st airborne). (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / U.S Archives)

CARENTAN A jeep with medics of the 101st Airborne in the street Holgate towards the crossroads with the RN 13. (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / U.S Archives)

CARENTAN ‘Place de la République’. Elements of the 101st Airborne are sitting and posing with children near the monument to the death of the world war one. (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / U.S Archives)

CAEN Bridge over the canal from caen to ouistreham. we are in the center of the town near the ‘Bassin St Pierre’. (Photo : Stollberg – Bundesarchiv)

BERNIERES SUR MER A member of the Canadian Provost Corps (C.P.C.) guarding the first German prisoners to be captured by Canadian soldiers in the Normandy beachhead, France, 6 June 1944. (Photo : Lieut. Frank L. Dubervill / Library and Archives Canada / PA-136280)

CAEN 10 July 1944 – Residents looking after a Canadian bulldozer clearing rubble in the streets. (Photo : Archives Canada)

CAUQUIGNY On the west side of the La Fiere causeway, after the battle. (Photo : U.S Archives)

COLLEVILLE SUR MER Steeple of the church of Colleville sur Mer destoyed by Destroyers of the U.S. Navy on 6 June 1944. It was used by German snipers and for observation post. (Photo : US Signal Corps)

HERMANVILLE SUR MER A bren carrier of the 33th Field Artillery Regiment crossing the place Courbet (actual). (Photo : I.W.M)

ISIGNY SUR MER 19 June 1944 – An American tank battalion passes through Isigny, France, with ruins of building damaged by shell fire and bombing in the background. (Photo : US Archives)

SAINT MARCOUF Pfc James R. Kumler and Tec 5 Donald J. MacLeod, Hq & Hq Co / 508th PIR, making their way in the French village of Saint-Marcouf, 7 miles Northeast from their initial DZ. (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / U.S Archives)

BASLY 27 June 1944 – Members of the 23d Field Ambulance, R.C.A.M.C. laying flowers on graves. From left to right : Private W. Young, H. Roach, M.G. Newberry. The left grave, Private A.J. Barnes is still in the cemetery. (Photo : Conseil Régional de Basse-Normandie / Archives Nationales du CANADA )

SAINT LAURENT SUR MER Exit E1 – Wn65 – Vallee du Ruquet German pillbox on Omaha Beach serving as a U.S. Army command post, during the early days of the invasion. (Photo : U.S Archives)

VIERVILLE SUR MER German pillbox for 88mm gun located on strong point WN72. This strong point was build to protect Exit D1 and the access to the village of Vierville. (Photo : U.S Archives)

TURQUEVILLE Many 101st troopers were dropped far from their initial DZ’s. Like Wilbur W. Shanklin facing, here, a German prisoner. They are on the road between Ste-Mere-Eglise and Audouville-la-Hubert. (Picture from ‘At the Point of No Return’ Book. Michel De Trez / D-Day Publishing)

The Canadian flags are because a large number of the photos are of Juno beach and other areas, taken by Canadian troops on D-Day and afterwards. Many of the troop photos in the 1944 photos are Canadian as well.

Went there four years ago- an amazing trip, highly recommended. The rebuilding of structures that would have simply been demolished elsewhere speaks volumes for the strength of character of these people. “You can knock it down, but we’ll just rebuild it.”

When something is destroyed in the states by an event like the 1905 fire in Baltimore, we build a new building. Sometimes we destroy a building after a few years to put up a new one. In Europe, they rebuild the old building. I remember being in Warsaw, and learning that, after World War II, the Poles looked to paintings of Warsaw from hundreds of years ago to rebuild it just the way it was before the Nazis destroyed the city. Quite a different attitude.

Wow, Nice pictures and awesome display of before and after. I was their in 2007 and couldn’t believe it. Impressive and really determined people like in the area of Aras, they went through 2 WW and still rebuild the entire city! AMAZING.
Thanks for sharing. Now, I’m of to review my photos from my trip to France 😉

[…] Then and now Interesting photo set of some locations in Normandy in 1944 and today. Normandy 1944 – Then and Now __________________ "Sandstorms inflict damage of about $540 million per year, and losses of […]

I was only 6 at the time, but I do remember playing with my cousin (John T. McCarthy) before he went over and landed at Normandy on June 6th. He was a 1st LT. and was killed July 11th at St. Lo. These pics are a wonderful reminder of ‘re-building’. Don Ward Pattaya, Thailand

I have a friend who parachuted into St. Mer Eglise in the early morning of D-Day with the 82nd Airborne. He said that there was so much confusion and guys were scattered all over the place that men from the 82nd and 101st were just joining up with whoever they could find to form combat units and get on with their mission to try to secure the area against German reinforcements.

He was eager to see these pictures. He had just returned from a visit to Normandy to see a Frenchman he go to know after the war.

Have just come back from a wonderful holiday to Pattaya, stayed at Palm Beach Inn in the northwestern part which is less hetic than southeastern areas, superior hotel and awesome bays near Pattaya like at Koh Larn. We hired a cycle for only 450 baht per day and would drive around the entire region. So many marvelous localises to dine, our cherished restaurant was Sweet n Spicy which had the most wonderful view over the beach, the staff was quite friendly and the food so yummy, we would go for sunrise cocktails. My wife and I had a brilliant time in Pattaya City and will be back for Easter.

Hi all, im from germany so my english knowledge isnt that superb. Please dont blame me. I try to read online journals to improve my english and say that your blog was perfect readable for me, because the english is really clear and all the posts are perfect readable. I will come back, to improve my english even more. Thanks a lot

been reading ur website for three days. really like what you posted. by the way i will be doing a research relating to this issue. do you happen to know other good blogs or perhaps online forums where I can learn more? thanks in advance.

I just returned from the Normandy coast – stayed in Courseulles-sur-mer – the center of Juno Beach. It is such a beautiful place. It is hard to imagine the death and destruction that happened on that beach – now so silent and pleasant. Visited the American Cemetery, Point du Hoc, and, of course, Omaha Beach. Our reception throughout Normandy was wonderful – I am planning a return trip and highly recommend it to anyone who plans to travel.

I have been to a number of those places and really enjoy the “then and now” photos. One additional aspect is the fact that the French have posted markers where American (and presumably Canadian and British) soldiers were killed near the beaches with the name and date. It’s nice to see the remembrance. Many of the casualties were engineers, probably clearing mines.